NSF/ANSI 336 drives the commercial furnishing fabrics industry to a more sustainable future with sustainability performance requirements for commercial fabrics throughout their life cycle and supply chain. As the first company to earn third-party certification to NSF/ANSI 336 through NSF International, Carnegie is able to differentiate its product with customers seeking more sustainable interior furnishings solutions.

Designers, architects, facility managers, purchasing professionals and contractors now utilize the standard to specify and obtain reliable and more sustainable fabric products. This includes local, state and federal government agencies and others attempting to comply with U.S. Executive Order 13514, which helps ensure that 95 percent of government contracts include products and services with sustainable attributes (e.g. energy and water efficiency, recycled content). Many of these sustainable attributes are included in the criteria for NSF/ANSI 336.

“The architectural and design communities are demanding verified sustainable fabric products. Earning NSF third-party certification for our sustainable Xorel and Bio Xorel products is the most credible way of communicating to our customers that we are committed to minimizing the environmental impacts of our products,” said Charles Griffin, Director of Technical Services for Carnegie.

“NSF International certification to NSF/ANSI 336 provides Carnegie’s customers with a highly credible way of identifying and differentiating sustainable products. It also favorably positions Carnegie as a leader in its industry by gaining third-party certification ahead of competitors,” said Tom Bruursema, General Manager of NSF Sustainability.

How NSF/ANSI 336 Certification Works

Similar to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for buildings, NSF/ANSI 336 assigns point values to fabrics in a number of categories. The number of category points earned is used to determine the product certification level as Conformant, Silver, Gold or Platinum.

A variety of fabrics can be certified to the standard, including woven, non-woven, bonded and knitted fabrics used for upholstery (e.g. office and hotel furniture), as well as vertical fabrics (e.g. drapery and panel system fabrics) and decorative top of bed applications (e.g. bedspreads) that are commonly used in institutional, hospitality and office settings. NSF/ANSI 336 is a multi-attribute standard that evaluates commercial fabrics against established requirements, performance criteria and quantifiable metrics in eight key areas: fiber sourcing, safety of materials, water conservation, water quality, social accountability, air quality, energy and recycling practices in manufacturing and end of use.

Carnegie Xorel and Bio Xorel materials are versatile furnishing fabrics with diverse design options and sustainable attributes. Products meeting all certification requirements are authorized to bear the NSF Sustainability Certified mark and are included on NSF International's website.

About NSF International: NSF International is an independent global organization that writes standards, and tests and certifies products for the construction, food, water, health sciences and consumer goods industries to minimize adverse health effects and protect the environment (nsf.org). Founded in 1944, NSF is committed to protecting human health and safety worldwide. Operating in more than 150 countries, NSF International is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Center on Food Safety, Water Quality and Indoor Environment. NSF Sustainability draws upon this expertise in standards development, product assurance and certification, advisory services and quality management systems to help companies create more sustainable products, operations, systems and supply chains.

About Carnegie: Carnegie is a leading manufacturer and innovator of textiles in North America. Since 1950, the family-owned company has established a tradition of firsts, including the development of its own Xorel® fabrics, which provide a durable alternative to PVC materials and Biobased Xorel, the first plant based high performance textile in the world. In addition, Carnegie has built a reputation for its ongoing and comprehensive commitment to the environment through all parts of its business cycle.